Flash light



Oct. 7 1924.

E. R. BARANY FLASH LIGHT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 8, 1922 Patented Oct. 7, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDMUND R. BARANY, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO FRANCO ELECTRIC CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

r AsH LIGHT.

Application filed July 8,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND R. BARANY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flash Lights, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to portable electric lamps and has particular reference to that class of such devices as are commonly known as pocket flashlights.

An important object of the invention is to provide in a flashlight of the class mentioned a means whereby a plurality of lamps may be individually placed in circuit with a suitable source of electric supply, the wiring arrangement being such that a single means may be employed to open or close the circuit leading through the lamps.

A further object of the invention is to so construct the various elements entering into the combination embodying my invention, that they may be assembled in a compact manner to provide a unitary structurewhich is capable of withstanding long use without detrimental result and in which the various elements thereof are so positioned as to prevent accidental displacement in the removal of a deteriorated battery or in the replacement of a new battery as the case may be.

Other objects and certain advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which;

Figure 1 is an edge elevation of a flashlight embodying my 1nvention.

Figure 2 1s a central sectional View taken on line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a central sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a circuit leading from a source of electric supply to a plurality of lamps.

In the drawings wherein is shown what I at present consider the preferred form of my invention, the numeral 5 indicates a casing composed of sections 6 and 7 hingedly con- 1922. Serial No. 573,684.

nected together along their longitudinal meeting edges, as shown at 8. These sections are struck up at opposite ends to provide ledges 9 adapted to receive the outer ends of the two sections are closed the lug 11 entersthe opening 12 provided in the tongue 13, thereby locking the two sections in their respective closed positions. To unlock the sections 6 and 7, the lug 15, projecting through the opening 16 of the sections 6, is depressed, thereby relieving the engagement of the lug 11 with the tongue 13, in which event the sections 6 and 7 may be opened to permit the removal or replacement of one or more cells which constitute the battery or source of electric supply hereinafter more particularly referred to.

Within the casing 5 there is arranged a bracket 17 which is suitably secured to the inner face of the section 6. This bracket terminates at opposite ends in heads 18 and 19 and is struck up, as shown at 20, to provide a longitudinal passage 21, the purpose of which will hereinafter clearly appear. The head 18 is so constructed as to provide conductor arms 22, 23 and 24, the arms 23 and 24 being turned up at opposite edges to provide flanges 25 and 26 respectively. The head 19 is so constructed as to provide angularly disposed arms 27, 28 and 29 which are struck up to provide flanges 30. The bracket 17 together with its arms 22, 23, 24, 27 28 and 29 forms a suitable support or means for retaining in position a plurality of cells 31 and 36 carried within cylindrical cardboard tubes 37 and 38.

To the arm 22 there is suitably connected, as by means of a rivet 39, a strip of fibre or other insulating material 40, carrying at one end thereof an elongated rivet 41. Upon that end of the strip 40 through which the rivet 41 is passed, there is imposed a contact arm 42 carrying an insulating washer 43. Upon the end of the arm 24 there is arranged an insulating washer'44 which supports a contact arm 45, carrying an insulating washer 46. It willbe noted that the rivet 41 is insulated from the contact arms 42 and 45 and the intermediate arm 24 by reason of the fact that the rivet is passed .through relatively large openings 47, 48 and 49 formed respectivelyin said arms. One end of the contact arm 45 carries a lamp terminal contact in the form of a rivet 50 which extends through a relatively large opening 51 formed in the arm 23. Between the contact arm 45 and the arm 23 there is disposed an insulating washer 52. This washer together with a similar-washer 53 serves to insulate the arm 23 from the rivet 50, insulation being further provided by reason of the relatively large opening 51 through which the rivet 50 is passed.

To the arms 27 and 29 there is suitably connected, as by means of rivets 54, an insulating strip 55. The arms 27 and 29 function in connection with the rivets 54 to support a conductor plate 56 which is insulated in part from the arms 27 and 29 by insulating washers 57, and in part by reason of the relatively large openings 58 and 59 formed in the arms 27 and 29 respectively. The arm 28 carries upon opposite sides thereof insulating washers 60, held in position by means of a lamp terminal contact in the form of a rivet 61 which is insulated from the arm 28 and the conductor plate 56 by reason of the relatively large openings 62 and 63 formed therein respectively.

lVithin the casing 5, relatively near opposite ends of the section 6, there is disposed a pair of brackets 64 which are bent at right angles and provided with screw threaded sleeves 65. These sleeves are adapted to receive the screw threaded ends 68 of reflectors 67, the outer ends of which are beaded, as shown at 68, and adapted to be supported by the offset portions 9, of the casing 5. The inner or screw threaded ends 66 of the reflectors 67 are adapted to receive the screw threaded shell portions 69 and 70 of electric lamps 71 and 72, the central contacts 73 and 74 of which are adapted to engage the rivet-s 50 and 61 respectively. y supporting the lamps 71 and "72, as above described, the reflectors 67 may be easlly removed from the brackets 64 thusenabling the lamps to be more easily removed from their respective reflectors than if the reflectors were permanently attached or associated with the casing 5, according to usual practice.

As a means for placing the electric lamps 71 and 72 in circuit with the, cells 31, 32, I provide a reciprocating slide 75, one end of which is provided with a button 76, the shank 77 of which operates Within a slot 78, formed in the section 7. The button 76 functions as a means by! which the slide 75 may be operated, and serves also as a means for supporting one end thereof, the other end of the slide being supported by means of a rivet 79 which is passed through a slot 80 formed in the slide and suitably attached to the section 7. That end of the slide 75 adjacent the rivet 79 is shaped to provide bridges 81 and 82, the latter of which is formed with an opening 83' adapted to receive a struck up portion 84 of the section 7, which struck up portion functions as a means to lock the slide in a neutral position or in either of the circuit closing positions, as will be readily appreciated. The bridge 82 terminates in a foot 85 upon which one end of an insulating plate 86 is secured by means of a rivet 87, the other end of the plate 86 being attached to the bridge 81 by means of a rivet 88. To the plate 86 there is connected a lug 89, having contact with the bare end of a conductor 90 which in turn is electrically connected to the rivet 41. The conductor 90 is common tothe circuit of both of the lamps 71. and 72 and functions under certain conditions in connection with a conductor 91 which is suitably attached to the contact arm 42 from which it is extended through the longitudinal passage 21 formed in the bracket 17, the conductor being electrically connected to the rivet 61, as shown in Figures 2 and 4.

It will be noted that the zincelectrode 36 of the cell 32 is grounded to the casing 5 through the rivet 39 and the arm 22, and that the carbon electrode 34 of this cell is oppositely disposed with respect to the carbon electrode 33 of the cell 31, the latter named carbon electrode being in electrical contact with the'rivet 41. It will be noted also that one of the rivets 54 is maintained in electrical engagement with the carbon electrode 340i the cell 32, whereas the other rivet 54 is maintained in electrical contact with the zinc container 35 of the cell 31.

With the various elements of the device embodying my invention positioned as shown in Figure 2, the lamp 71 may be placed in circuit with the cells 31 and 32 by operating the slide 75 to bring the contact 89 into engagement with the contact arm 45. With carbon electrode 33 thereof, through the rivet 41, the conductor 90, the contact '89, the contact arm 45, into the lamp 71 through the central contact 73 and back into the casing 5, through the screw threaded shell 69. If it should be desired to place the lamp 72in circuit with the cells 31 and 32, the slide 75 is so moved as to bring the contact 89 into engagement with the contact arm 42 in which position the circuit may be traced from the casing 5, through the zinc container 36 of the cell'32, to the carbon electrode 34 thereof, through the rivet 54 and the conductor plate 56 to the rivet 54, through the zinc container 35 of the cell 31 to the carbon electrode 33 thereof, through the rivet 41, the conductor 90, the contact 89, the contact arm 42, the conductor 91, into the lamp 72, through the central contact 74 thereof, and back to the casing through the screw threaded portion 70 of the lamp, and the reflector 67 associated therewith. From a study of the circuit above mentioned it is obvious that either the lamps 71 or 72 may be placed in circuit with the cells 31 and 32 by the single circuit controlling means including the reciprocating slide 75 and its several associated elements. It may be remarked that if one lamp should burn out or become broken, the other lamp may be resorted to as a source of illumination by simply so moving the reciprocating slide 75 as to bring the contact 89 into engagement with the proper cooperative contact arm 42 or 45.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A flashlight comprising a. casing, a plurality of cell supporting arms arranged with in said casing at opposite ends thereof, a plurality of cells supported by said arms, means at one end of said casing for electrically connecting an electrode of one of said cells with an opposite electrode of an adjacent cell, contact arms associated with one of said cell supporting arms, a plurality of lamps, electric circuits for said lamps, and means adapted to cooperate with said contact arms to connect one of said lamps in circuit with said cells independently of the other of said lamps.

2. A flashlight comprising a. casing, a plurality of cell sup-porting arms arrang within said casing at opposite ends thereof, a plurality of cells supported by said arms intermediate the same, a conductor plate at one end of said casing for electrically connecting an electrode of one of said cells with an opposite electrode of the adjacent cell, insulating means disposed between said plate and cells, contact arms associated with one of said cell supporting arms, insulating means disposed intermediate said cells and said contact arms, a plurality of lamps,

electric circuits for said lamps, and means adapted to cooperate with said contact arms to connect one of said lamps in circuit with said cells independently of the other or said lamps. v

3. A flashlight comprising a. casing having a pair of electric lamps associated therewith, an electric cell arranged within said casing, a pair of arms supporting said cell, a second pair of arms adapted to support lamp terminal contacts, lamp terminal contacts carried by the latter named pair of arms, and means for placing either of said lamps in circuit with said cell.

4. A flashlight comp-rising a casing having a pair of electric lamps associated therewith, a pair of battery cells arranged within said casing, a pair of arms for supporting each cell, a second pair of arms adapted to support lamp terminal contacts, lamp terminal contacts carried by the second named pair of arms, and means for placing said cells in circuit with either of said lamps independently of the other.

5. A flashlight comprising a casing having a lamp associated therewith, an electric cell arranged within said casing, a pair of cell-supporting-arms secured to said casing and supporting said cell, a contact arm carried by one of said cell-supporting-arms but insulated therefrom, said contact arm being electrically connected to said lamp, and operable means adapted to cooperate with said contact arm for placing said lamp in circuit with said cell.

6. A flashlight comprising a casing having a pair of electric lamps associated therewith, a plurality of electric cells arranged within said casing, a bracket supportlng said cells, a pair of contact arms carried by said bracket, said contact arms being insul-ated from said bracket and electrically connected, respectively, with said lamps, and a circuit closer adapted to co-operate selectively with said contact arms for placing either of said lamps independently of the other in circuit with said cells.

7. A flashlight comprising a casing having a pair of'electric lamps associated therewith and grounded thereto, a plurality of electric cells arranged within said casing,

one of said cells being grounded to said porting each of said cells, a pair of contact arms associated with one of said cell-supporting-arms and electrically connected, respectively, with said lamps, and a circuit closer adapted to co-operate selectively with said contact arms for placing either of said lamps independently of the other in circuit with said cells.

8. A flashlight comprising a casing having a pair of electric lamps associated therewith, a plurality of electric cells arranged within said casing, a bracket supporting said cells, contact supporting elements, lamp contacts carried by said contact supporting elements and electrically connected with said lamps, a pair of contact arms associated with said bracket and electricall connected, respectively, with said lamps t ough said lamp contacts, and a circuit closer adapted to co-operate selectively with said contact arms for placing either of said lamps independently of the other in circuit with said cells.

In testimony whereof, I have afiix'ed my signature to this specification.

EDMUND R. BARANY. 

